Committee Charge

Choose two recipients of the Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award, provide each winner with one ticket to the event of their choice ($100 value or less) at the Annual conference.
[edit] History of the Committee

The Marshall Cavendish Award Committee was formed in 2006 upon the dissolution of the Exhibitor Contact and Relations Committee, which had managed the award in the past. In 2011, the committee’s name and charge were changed to reflect changes to the funding structure for the award.
[edit] Major Responsibilities

Publicize availability of the award and solicit applications.
Select recipients.
Notify recipients as well as applicants who were not selected.

Procedures Used to Accomplish Major Responsibilities

Regularly review application criteria for relevance.
Publicize the award via:
News releases to Footnotes;
Posts to NMRT and other listservs soliciting applications;
Announcement of winners submitted to Footnotes, NMRT listserv, and Committee web site.
Communications with the NMRT secretary
The Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award Committee acts as the jury, evaluating application essays.
Notify winners and all other applicants by email no later than one week before the start of the Annual Conference.

Committee Composition and Term(s) of Office

One chair with five to seven members, all serving a one year term, from Annual to Annual.

Publicity Needs

Most publicity will be via Footnotes, NMRT listserv, Committee web site, and other ALA listservs. The NMRT Secretary can assist with postings to Facebook, Twitter, and the NMRT Blog.

Records Generation and Archiving Schedules

The Chair keeps the original applications and any other records generated during the year. At the end of the chair’s term, he/she should check with the NMRT President to see if records should be transferred to the Archives Committee, incoming chair, or NMRT President.
The Chair submits written reports to the NMRT President and the rest of the Executive Board at Midwinter, at the Annual Conference, and at other times upon request.
The standard reports (progress and final) are filed after Midwinter and before Annual. A planning report is submitted to the President in August or September.

Documents to Create/Update

The Committee web site should be updated at the beginning of the chair’s term, after selecting the winners, and at other times as necessary.

Reminders and Helpful Hints

Procedures are fairly uncomplicated during most of the year.
Highly visible publicity is critical.
Maintain contact with the past chair for help, clarification, questions, and answers to problems or challenges.
Maintain continued contact and communication with your committee, your supervising officer, the NMRT Vice President, and the NMRT President.

General Timetable of Activities

July

August/September

Obtain list of committee members; write to inform them of responsibilities and give them the tentative schedule of the year’s events.
Update web pages and work with Web Committee to ensure that all award information on NMRT website is current and correct.
Prepare planning report.

Midwinter

February

Prepare progress report.

April

Advertise award.

May/June

Continue to advertise award.
Once the deadline has passed, send copies of applications to committee members, reminding them of award criteria.
Evaluate applications and withdraw all that are not complete or do not meet requirements. The NMRT Staff Liaison can confirm the membership status of applicants.
Instruct committee members to rank applicants and be prepared to discuss their choices.
Notify winners via e-mail. Present report to Executive Board announcing award recipients. Send information about the award recipients to the Publicity Chair, Footnotes Editor, and Web Committee for press releases and to update information on NMRT web page as necessary.
Coordinate with the NMRT Staff Liaison to purchase tickets and present them to the winners at Annual Conference.
Once the Committee has notified the recipients, notify rejected applicants of their status.